Verbascum plant name ‘Sugar Plum’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Verbascum  plant characterized by numerous purple flowers on numerous short, upright flowering stems, a compact habit, and excellent vigor.

Botanical classification: (Verbascum phoeniceum×V. dumulosum)×V. phoeniceum.

Variety denomination: ‘Sugar Plum’.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbascum hybrid given the cultivar name ‘Sugar Plum’. Verbascum is in the family Scrophulariaceae.

This new cultivar originated from a cross between Verbascum ‘Jackie’ (an unpatented plant) as the seed parent and an unnamed selection of Verbascum phoeniceum (an unpatented plant) as the pollen parent. Verbascum ‘Jackie’ is an unpatented plant and a cross between Verbascum phoeniceum and Verbascum dumulosum.

This new Verbascum hybrid is unique in its purple flower color combined with its Verbascum ‘Jackie’-like compact habit and short, multiple flowering stems.

This patent is characterized by the following:

-   -   1. Large purple flowers.     -   2. Numerous upright flowering stems.     -   3. Compact habit.     -   4. Short flowering stems.     -   2. Excellent vigor.

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (division and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identical characteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by division and tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques with terminal and lateral shoots, as done by Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The photograph shows the whole plant of Verbascum ‘Sugar Plum’ growing in the trial fields in July in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Verbascum selection based on observations of one-year-old specimens grown in the ground in full sun under typical outdoor conditions in the trials fields in Canby, Oreg. Canby is Zone 8 on the USDA Hardiness map. Temperatures range from a high of 95 degrees F. in August to 32 degrees F. in January. Normal rainfall in Canby is 42.8 inches per year. The color descriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart.

-   Botanical classification: (Verbascum phoeniceum×V. dumulosum)×V.     phoeniceum. -   Variety denomination: ‘Sugar Plum’. -   Plant:     -   -   Type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Form.—Clumping basal rosette.         -   Hardiness.—U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zones 5-9.         -   Size.—11 cm tall and 33 cm wide, not including             inflorescence.         -   Vigor.—Excellent.         -   Roots.—With one main tap root, and many fibrous lateral             branches, White 155A.         -   Stem.—Much congested, 1 cm deep and wide with no space             between nodes. -   Leaf:     -   -   Type.—Simple. Evergreen.         -   Arrangement.—Basal, with 12 to 24 leaves.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Blade size.—Grows to 13.5 cm long and 9 cm wide.         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Margins.—Strongly undulating. Irregularly crenate overall             and toothed near base.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Surface texture.—Leathery, rugose with stellate and             velutinous hairs on both surfaces.         -   Petiole.—Size — 4.5 cm. long and grows to 0.9 cm wide.             Surface texture — Stellate and velutinous hairs. Color —             Yellow Green 145A to 145C with a pinker color up the middle,             Greyed Purple 186C.         -   Leaf color.—Abaxial — Deep green. Closest to Green 147A with             a prominent main vein, (Yellow Green 145A to 145C changing             to a pinker color, Greyed Purple 186C, in the middle of the             leaf). Adaxial — Yellow Green 147B. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Panicle.         -   Number of panicles per plant in first flush.—27.         -   Cauline leaves.—4 to 7 in number, crenate, sessile, ovate,             1.4 cm to 9 cm long and 1 to 5.5 cm wide. Cauline leaves             have the same color, apex and base as basal leaves.         -   Flower number.—Count of 275 flowers on main panicle.         -   Peduncle.—Height — 29 cm to 39 cm. Diameter — 0.4 cm. near             base. Surface texture — Glandular pubescent. Color — Yellow             Green 146B.         -   Pedicel.—Length — 1.2 cm. Surface texture — Glandular             pubescent. Color — Yellow Green 146C.         -   Bloom time.—June to August in Canby, Oreg. -   Flower bud:     -   -   Size.—1.1 cm. wide and 0.8 cm. deep.         -   Description.—Pentagonal cushion.         -   Surface.—Glandular pubescent.         -   Color.—Violet 83A. -   Flower:     -   -   Type.—Perfect. Complete. Irregular.         -   Shape.—Rotate, irregular, short tubular.         -   Size.—3.4 cm wide and 1.1 cm deep including stamens.         -   Color.—Violet 83B on both surfaces.         -   Corolla.—Petal description — 5 lobes, broadly obovate,             margin entire, tip obtuse, base cuneate. Size — 3.4 cm wide             and 0.4 cm deep. Surface — Backs glandular, inside glabrous.         -   Calyx.—Sepal description — Stellate, with 5 lobes, each lobe             lanceolate with entire margins and an acuminate tip. Size —             Grows to 1.2 cm. wide and 0.2 cm deep. Surface texture —             Glandular pubescent on back, inside glabrous. Color — Yellow             Green 147B on both surfaces.         -   Stamens.—Number — 5. Filaments — 0.7 cm. long, Yellow Orange             14A at base and heavily bearded Purple 77A on lower two             stamens and Purple 77A topped with Yellow White 158C on             upper three stamens. Anthers — Kidney shaped, 2 mm long.             Greyed Purple 187A. Pollen — None.         -   Pistil.—Number — 1. Size — 1.2 cm long. Style — 1 cm long,             Greyed Purple 187A. Stigma — Blunt, Yellow Green 146A. Ovary             — Yellow Green 146A.         -   Fragrance.—None. -   Fertility: Sterile, male and female. No pollen, fruit, or seed     produced. -   Disease and pests: None observed on plants grown commercially in     Canby, Oreg. Powdery mildew and fungal leaf spot are possible.     Verbascum are susceptible to caterpillars. No known resistance or     susceptibility to disease.

COMPARISONS

This new cultivar is very similar in growth habit and flowering habit to Verbascum ‘Jackie’ (an unpatented plant). The greatest difference is the flower color. V. ‘Jackie’ is described as having copper colored buds that open to pale peach colored flowers and lavender stamens. The new cultivar Verbascum ‘Sugar Plum’ has purple buds, flowers and stamens and deeper green, undulating leaves. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Verbascum plant as herein illustrated and described. 